IntroductionDebateMythsTranslationsResponsesEducationResearchEvolution

Otto Frederik Christian William Borchsenius (1844-1925)

Liberal editor and writer, editor of the weekly Ude og Hjemme [Abroad and at Home] 1879-84 and the liberal Copenhagen newspaper Dannebrog 1892-1910.

Otto Borchsenius wrote a positive review of the Danish translation of Origin of Species in the newspaper Lolland-Falsters Stiftstidende, 6 December 1871 and discussed J.P. Jacobsen’s articles on and translations of Charles Darwin’s works in his collection of essays Fra Fyrrerne [From the Forties] (Copenhagen: Woblevsky, 1878-1880). He never became a radical like Georg Brandes and Jacobsen, but he was willing to admit that Darwinism possessed some scientific and cultural value. For example, in 1882 he reviewed favourably a hagiographical poem in memory of Darwin by the freethinker Karl Gjellerup. In July 1883 Borchsenius engaged in polemics with the conservative historian Johannes Steenstrup in the conservative newspaper Dagbladet. Steenstrup accused Borchsenius of reproducing the myth introduced by Brandes that Jacobsen was the first writer to introduce Darwin to the general public in Denmark.    

Hans Henrik Hjermitslev

Return to list of biographies